Walking device



Jan.s,1946.' K, F. HAHN y 2,392,735

WALKING DEVICE v Filed Jan. 20; 1.944

1:?" lI//lllD//a-Hll Patented Jan. 8, 1946 UNITED STAT ES PATENT GFF ICE:

WALKING DEVICE l d Kenneth F; Hahn, Minneapolis,` Minn;

Application' January 20, 1944 Serial N o. 519,046 e claim-s. (o1. 12s-487) My invention relates to improvements in therapeutic devices and, more. particularly.. to a walking. device for a. person having his footy incased in a cast'- v.It is well known that in case of a fractured tibia or bula or both, or in case of a fractured metatarsal bone or, in. fact, any injury making it necessary for the patient to wear a cast,y it is absolutely necessary to keep the cast out of contact with the ground in order to permit the wearer to walkand also to prevent the cast from being damagedrbyv contact with. the ground.

It is now the general practice to permit a patient to walk after the injured member is held in acast.' The modern cast is made up of a strip or strips of gauze impregnated with plasterv of Paris. This prepared strip is first soaked in water and then wrapped around the foot and over a surgical stocking worn by the patient until a cast of the proper size and strength has been built up'.

The objects of this invention' are:v rst, to provide a walkingr device that will support a: east out of contact with the ground in all of the various' positions it may assume while the wearer is walking; second, to provide a walking device that will act as a bracev for ther lower leg section; third, to provide a walking device that will permitnear natural walking action;l fourth, to providev a walking device having a plurality o'f tread mem bers spaced one in advance of the other; nrth, to provide a walking device having a plurality of tread members spaced, the one in advance of the other to leave gaps therebetween to prevent slipping; and sixth, to provide a walking device having a detachable anti-slip device.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent l'from the following description, reference being had to the drawing.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter described and dened in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing: V

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved walking device;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of an anti-slip device for the walking device;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, but ,showing the other end of the anti-slip device;

Fig. 5 is a view principally in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig.v 6 isa view in section. taken on the line B`B of Fig.5;,

Fig. 7 is afragmentary view of the walking deviceasshown in. Fig. 1, and having the anti-slip device applied thereto; and' Fig, 8 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 7.

The numeral 9 indicates a U-shaped metal frame comprising long parallel side members, I0 anda plurality of ltransverse bottom members'` II, as shown three. Said side members IU, at their upperA end portions, are inthe form of relatively narrow. straps and the lower end. portions are substantially ian-shaped. The transversey members II are edgewise circumferentially spaced apart on the arc of a circle. Deep notches I2 are formed' in the sidemembers lil between the transverse members Il. Curved members I3 are secured tothe side members I0, at their upper end portions' and extend transversely thereof. A flat rubber tread i4` is secured to' each transverse member Il.

To apply the above described walking device to a patients l'egjwhose foot is incased in a cast, the side members I0 lare positioned at the sides of said leg and with the bottom of the cast positioned substantially one and a half inches above the transverse members Il. The device is held in this position, with the side' members HJ 'sub stantially at the tarsus, while the leg is being wrapped with wet plaster-of-Paris-impregnated strips of gauze and with the side members I0 between the cast and the wrapping. This wrapping eXtends over the curved members I3 and downwardly substantially to the tarsus and is Vof suflicient thickness to rigidlysecure the devicein place.

When the wearer oi the device is walking, the hat treads I4 successively move into contact with the ground with a rolling movement'and oneof said treads I4 is substantially always in at contact with the ground. At the time one of the treads I4 is moving out of contact with the ground and the adjacent one is moving onto the ground, the spaced adjacent edges oi said treads, with the gap therebetween, securely hold the walking device frorn slipping. The rolling movement of the treads I4 into and out of contact with the ground and their hat engagement therewith give the device a free and easy movement so that the wearer moves with a near natural walking movement and at the same time eliminates the danger of slipping.

By securing the walking device to the wearers legs with the cast spaced above the treads I4. said applied to the walking cast is always out of contact with the ground during the various positions of the treads I4 relative to the ground.

Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, show Va novel anti-slip device I5 for the abovedescribed walking device andFigs. '7 and 8 show the same applied to said device. 1 Y

This anti-slip device I5 includes a curved body member I6, that extends under the treads I4, and front and rear side members I1. These side' members-'I1 have at their upper longitudinal edges inturned lock ilanges I8 that extend into notches I'I in one of the side members `IIJ and thereby detachably connect the anti-slip devicev YI5 to the walking device. The anti-slip device I5v Onthe botalso includes an end member I 9. tom of the body member I6 are four rows of teeth 20 and which rows are concentric with said body member. y Y

The end member I9, byY its engagement with the frame I9, acts as a stop to hold the antifslip device I5 from moving on the walking device in one direction and a latch 2I holds the anti-slip device I5 from moving in the opposite direction, This latch 2I is secured to the end member I6 and its spring-projected bolt 22 detachably in- Y terlocks with a keeper'member 23 on the respective 'side member I 0. V

The lock anges` I8 securely hold 'the antislip'devicer I5 against either forward or backward A movement relative to the walking device and the end member 20 and the latch 2|V securely hold the anti-slip device I5 against endwise movement in either direction relative tothe walking device. Y

-The central portion of the Ybodyrmembe'r I6 is Y cut-away 'at 25 and the fourA longitudinal edge portion of said body member are turned downwardly to aiord the necessary stock in which the teeth 2U are cut. By cutting away the body portion at 25, sufficient stock is Aremoved tomaterially lighten the weight of the' anti-slip device l5. From the above description, it is evident that the ice Creeper I5 maybe veryquickly and easily from. ,It will be understood the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed. Y

What I claim is: Y Y Y 1. In a -device of the class described, a frame device or removed therershaped frame, the lower end portions of the side members of the frame being substantially fanshaped, the transverse portion of the frame comprising a plurality of members spaced, the one in advance of the other on said fan-shaped portions of the side members andv on the arc of a circle, notches in the fan-shaped portions of the frame between the transverse members of said frame, and rubber treads applied to said transversefmembers. j' j- 3. In a device of the class described, a U- Ashaped frame, the transverse portion of the frame comprising a plurality of tread members spaced the one in advance of the other, an anti-slip de.

vice having a body member, front and rear up-l standing membersV on thevbody member,` inthat the invention described is capable Voi various modications within,

turned flanges on the upstanding, members, notches in the side members in which the flanges are slidably mounted, a'plurality of rows' of depending teeth on the body member, andmeans including a releasable member for holdingtheV anti-slip device. 'against removal from the frame.

5. In a device of the class described, a VU- 1 Y shaped frame, the Ytransverse portion of Vthe frame comprising aV plurality of tread members spaced the one in'advance of the other, an anti-V-` slip device having a'body member, front and rear ru'pstanding members on the body member, in-

turned y flanges on the upstanding` members,Y notches in the side membersin which the flanges are slidably mounted, a plurality of lrows of depending 'teeth on the body member, and means including a latchy for holding the anti-slip device against removal/from the frame.

Y 6. In a device of the class described, a Uf. Y shaped frame, the transverse portion of the frame comprising aA plurality of tread members spaced the one in .advance of the otheron the arcof a having a pair of` laterally. spaced side members,

each fside member Yhaving on its lower end a plurality of downwardly diverging prongs, transversermembersconnecting opposite prongs, saidY transverse members being substantially on the arc of a circle, and a tread applied to each transverse member.

circle', an anti-slip device having a curved body member, front and rear upstanding members, inturned rilanges on the upstanding members slidably mounted in notches in the side members of the frame, a side member between the front and rear Vmember and aiTording a stop to limit the sliding movement of the anti-slipA device onto the frame, and a latch holding the anti-slip device against removal from the frame.

YY,'2. VIn a device of the class described, a U- 

